Inattentive ADD in Women
Many women with inattentive ADD discover that keeping up with household chores, family obligations and friendships puts a strain on them. They might also find it difficult to maintain their jobs.
Women and girls typically show less inconspicuous ADHD symptoms than men and so are often written off as dreamy or ditzy. However, women who have undiagnosed ADD may be afflicted by depression, low self-esteem, and relationships issues.
Impatience
Women who suffer from ADD are often plagued by impatience, and this can lead to difficulties at home, in school or at work. They are unable to tolerate delays, especially those that are not their fault minor annoyances can cause frustration and anger, or even a meltdown. They frequently feel that they are behind and constantly playing catch-up, even though they might put in a lot of effort.
Women with inattentive ADHD are more likely to miss deadlines and feel overwhelmed by routine tasks. Their inability to concentrate can cause mistakes that can have grave consequences. For instance, they might forget to pay their taxes or an error in the writing of a letter. Women with this type of personality may be unable to concentrate and may drift off into a daydream or lose their focus on what they're watching or reading.
Women can become frustrated with their inability to stick to on their commitments, especially when they have already put in time and money in a plan. Women may be frustrated with their inability to track their finances. They may also experience issues with impulse control like spending in a hurry and rushing into relationships or jobs without taking the time to think about the consequences.
Attention-deficit ADHD can be a source of frustration for those who are close to the woman, including their partners and children. The inability to concentrate and mood swings can lead to disputes, self-esteem issues, and problems with relationships. attention deficit in women suffering from ADD are often misdiagnosed with bipolar due to their mood fluctuations.
Inattentional ADHD in women is more prevalent than many people are aware of, and it can cause real problems at work, in school, and at home. Despite its widespread prevalence however, the condition is under-appreciated and misunderstood due to the fact that the ratings scales used to evaluate ADHD symptoms are skewed toward male behaviors and because the condition is often misinterpreted as depression or anxiety. A variety of factors affect how inattentive ADHD presents for women and girls and men, including a different symptom presentation, unique issues relating to hormonal effects and the differences in social expectations.
Impulsivity
Women suffering from ADD often have difficulty keeping their time and work. They might lose things and forget their daily routines or have difficulty paying bills. Many women also have a tendency to make decisions on impulse or get frustrated easily. The fluctuation of moods and being stressed can lead to issues in relationships, at work or at school. These symptoms may be masked or worsened by hormonal fluctuations, PMS, pregnancy, menopausal, or other hormonal changes. Women who don't receive an accurate diagnosis may be misdiagnosed as having bipolar disorder because the symptoms are similar.
Women who exhibit impulsivity as a result of their inattention ADHD are unable to control their emotions, especially when they are under emotional stress or when they are trying to complete a task that requires focus. They might be annoyed by a tiny error on an assignment or overwhelmed by the demands of family life. They might be at risk of engaging in relationships without due assessment or be more impulsive in spending money. They may say hurtful words without thinking about it, or be a bit critical.
Many women suffering from ADD struggle to manage their daily lives, including parenting, caring for children and maintaining a career. This is especially true if they have hypoactive ADHD. These women may find it difficult to manage their time, and spend more time at home rather than at work. They may have difficulty maintaining healthy eating habits or exercising regularly. They might also fail to make appointments or make mistakes at work, which could affect their reputation.
Teachers as well as parents and employers often overlook inattentive ADD among women. It's possible a woman may have some signs but not enough to warrant a diagnosis. It is also possible that she doesn't recognize her own attention problems. There are coping mechanisms that mask her inadequacy or lack of performance. For example she may drop out of school or get low-paying jobs with low demand.
While a diagnosis of ADD is usually made in childhood, many people who suffer from the disorder aren't treated until adulthood. This is due to the fact that doctors continue to look for indications of the disorder that are more common in boys, and also because ADD isn't often recognized in women, who often hide their symptoms.
Social Interruptions
Women who suffer from ADHD tend to be more sensitive to rejection and are more likely to experience problems with social boundaries. They are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as early sexual activity as well as more casual sex and more sexually transmitted diseases than women who do not suffer from ADHD. Their emotional reactions to real and perceived rejection can also cause self-esteem issues, which make it difficult for them to maintain stable, healthy relationships.
The disorder affects the way a woman manages her self and her home, and can affect her family members as well. Many women struggle to make the right structure for their children and themselves because of the way they think. This makes it difficult to manage chores at home or schoolwork.
For instance, if a woman with ADHD is easily distracted and is easily distracted, she might be unable to finish tasks at work. The inability to concentrate could result in erroneous mistakes at school or at work. She might not be aware that she's made a mistake until it's too late. She might also have difficulty keeping the money in her account which could lead to financial problems.
Women who have inattentive ADHD often experience frequent interruptions in social interactions which hinder their ability accomplish tasks. For example, they might get distracted by text messages or phone calls and interrupt other people in conversations. They are more likely to interrupt others because they don't know the rules of communication between people. This has been proven in studies in which participants were asked to complete a simple or complex task and were interrupted by coworkers via different mediums -- face-to-face, phone or instant message. The interruptions were correlated with participants' levels of anxiety, stress, and frustration.
It is essential for those suffering from ADD to seek treatment from a physician who is well-aware of the disorder. It is particularly important for women to locate a doctor who is familiar with the specific characteristics of gender for ADHD. This can help to avoid being mistakenly diagnosed with other disorders, like bipolar disorder or depression.
Agitation
A person suffering from ADD may have difficulty to keep her attention and remain still, particularly on tasks that she finds boring or uninteresting. She might be distracted or switch her attention to a different activity. Women with ADD can experience depression. This condition can manifest in conjunction with ADD or because of it.
Certain ADD women may be over-extended by waiting in lines to get medical appointments or standing in line. They can become anxious due to their anxiety over minor inconveniences. The onset of agitation in these women can be swift and they require immediate treatment.
Whether the patient is in an outpatient or hospital setting, a thorough physical exam must be conducted and vital signs gathered as quickly as is possible. A brief history and assessment of the agitation needs to be conducted, and the patient must be assessed as to whether or not the agitation is a manifestation of an acute medical illness. Rating scales for anxiety tend to be geared towards male behavior issues, and the development of a standard clinical and research definition of the symptom is required.